Lady Crusader softball opens season with 10-0 victory

March 23, 2012

The Elk County Catholic Lady Crusader softball team opened their season Friday by traveling to Bradford, where they defeated the Bradford Lady Owls 10-0 in a five-inning contest.
Taylor Schlimm threw a one-hitter for Elk Catholic while striking out 13 batters.
â€śTaylor was dominant today,â€ť noted ECCHS coach Joe Coroso. â€śShe struck out 13 of the 17 batters she faced.â€ť
â€śOur hitting was slow to start, but improved as the game progressed. It was also very balanced throughout the lineup,â€ť said Coroso.
Michelle Imbrogno led Elk Catholic with two singles and two RBIs. Kristy Hanes had a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning. Jessie Ginther, Jena Struble, Schlimm, Lyndsey Trumbull, Sadie Viglione and Mackenzie Neureiter all singled.
â€śWe had a few mental errors on the base paths but nothing that harmed us. Overall, it was a good win for the season opener,â€ť added Coroso.
The Lady Crusaders left two runners stranded in the top of the first, while Bradford left one on base.
In the top of the second, Viglione singled with one out. Stephanie Zimmerman reached base on a fielderâ€™s choice. A single by Ginther scored both Viglione and Zimmerman, giving Elk the 2-0 lead. Schlimm struck out the side in the home half of the second inning.
Schlimm led off the top of the third with a single. She moved to third on a passed ball and scored when Trumbull reached base on an error, giving Elk the 3-0 lead. Schlimm struck out the side in the home half of the third inning.
With one out in the top of the fourth, Neureiter reached base on an error, as did Ginther. Struble singled to load the bases. Schlimm walked, scoring Neureiter. Trumbull reached base on an error. A double by Hanes cleared the bases, scoring Struble, Schlimm and Trumbull. A single by Imbrogno scored Hanes. Imbrogno moved to third on the play and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Rachel Stauffer, giving the Lady Crusaders the 10-0 lead. Bradford left a runner stranded in the home half of the inning.
Elk Catholic left a runner on base in the top of the fifth. In the home half of the inning, the Lady Owls went down in order as the Lady Crusaders won by the 10-0 score.
Elk Catholic, now 1-0 on the season, will host Brockway Tuesday afternoon at Benzinger Park. Varsity is set for 4:15 p.m., with the junior varsity to follow.